ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2144, 9 May 1914, Page 12

ATHLETICS.

J... tßj ,"M«bctot.-KJ WORD, FROM MR. UNMACK. His Thanks to New Zealand. T°, Marryatt, president ot tho N./j.A.A.A., comes a character"tiC'letter, dated. April 12, from Mr. W. Unmack, of San Francisco. Mr'. Unmarks's excuse for the epistle is to bo found in the fact that the souvenir" sent him by tho N.Z.A.A.A. Council in recognition of his good work in organising the American team had reached him just befofe'mail time, and he ha.d seized the opportunity of expressing lii's appreciation of the littlo gift. That lie .does appreciate the compliment is shown bs ; the .'.appended extracts from his let- „ '.ten ;He writes: , " "I hardly know how to express myself to you and your council for the wonderful'expression cf esteem' • that'it lias been mV right good fortune "to, receive through Eustace Peixotto from the fine fellows representing amateur athletics, and the athletes of New Zealand, but I want to assure you, and tlirough your council, the athletes of New' Zealand in general, that the. beautiful trophy which you have beon so ' kind io send ijie is tho most prized treasure 1 possess. "I havo been connected with amateur athletics in one way and another for more than 15 years, but . never did 1 expect to receive such a trophy as that presented to me on your behalf by Mr. Peixotto at the banquet to the returned Anieriran team which was held at the Olympic. Club in this city on the night of March 31." The American's Home-oomlng, Of the reception to the tourists, Mr, Unmack says: "We received the boyo

at the wharf with a band and representatives of every athletic organisation in this city, and also they were welcomed on behalf of tho A.A.U. of this country by Mr. John Elliott, now a vice-president of that body. It was a splendid, victorious return for tho boys, and that night about fifty of the most l'opresentativo men of the city, all athletically inclined, who have followed the doings of tho littlo team with keen and fervid interest, welcomed them at a sumptuous banquet at the Olympic. It was a gathering of jolly good fellows nnd 'joy was uncpnfincd.' Wo were all glad to hear abovo all else that the boys nad entered into tho spirit of tho occasion, nnd had done everything possible to assist your athletes in coaching them and telling whatever they know. That, was especially interesting and pleasing to me." In Harness 'Again.' Mr. Unmack continues: "The team has now all broken up, and the boys gone to their homes. Jimmy Power is, due in Boston eithor to-day or to-mor-row', whilo the others left tho day after their arrival. Yesterday Georgo Parker and Reg. Qaughey competed in their first meet since their return as members of the Olympic Club, and both boys not only lived up to their international reputations, but oxcceded them. !l "Caughey, timo and again, has exceeded 45ft. with the shot in this State, and has even bettered -46ft., and you can therefore readily understand that I was a little disappointed that he did not do better than Jhat 45ft. OJin, in your country There is no doubt that the way wo prepare our circles for shotputting and hammer-throwing is an advantage that he missed with you. Here the shot is always put from a dirt surface, while with' you he had to put from grass. Well, yesterday, he won the fchot-put against the University of California with. llin.- From this you will see that lleg. has even bettered his record with you, and as he h.-fc not done any practice sinco returning I fully expect him to do round 47ft. this season. , \ Parker Wins a Treble. "Now for George Parker. He showed Us yesterday', that tho trip had been tho greatest thing, in the world for him. He;went to'ytiu as a sphoolboy sprinter. -He has returned with won. dorful speed'and far more finesse to his sprinting than he has ever shown here, and we are all enthusiastic as to-his future. He von tho 100 yds. yesterday by more than three yards in even time, two watches out of five giving him two i yards under, ovens.' Ten minutes later lib came i out and jogged in a winner in the 440 yds. in 50 4-ssec;',- and he only appeared to be trotting across the line. The' meet was started at 1.30 o'clock, and finished before 3 o'clock, on account of a big collegiate ■ baseball game, so you see there was 110 timo lost between the events, and in answer to my query as to why he did not run himself out and try for our coast recotd of 49sec., whioh I am positive he could have bettered, George told mo'that on account of ti'o littlo time botween the events it wfis necessary to save himself 'for the 220 yds. However, he intends to go after the coast mark at the earliest opportunity—and lie will get it. "Ten minutes after running'' the 'quarter' in 50 4-ssec.,' ho camo out again and' Won tho 220 yds. by about a foot in 23sec. Not good timoj .you will say, for' Parker, but you do 1 not know the track. The runners have to round a treacherous bend, which is sharp and angular, and when you hear that Parker already holds tho' record at 22 3-ssec. for -the track, you can see that the 23sec. time under the conditions." . Other American Form. Judging by Mr. Unmack's further re-, marks on other performances at this meeting, tho standard of merit was a high one. Thus he reports that Murray, of the Olympic Club, won tho "hair in lmin. 55 4-ssec. Millard, of the same club, won the-mile in 4min. 29sec., and fifteen minutes later proved himself possessed of stamina as well as speed by winning the two miles in 9min. U 4-ssec.—a record for the track. Eddie Beeson, one of tho original members of tho team for "down under, n won the high-jump at 6ft. 4in., and then just missed breaking 'tho world's record with the bar at 6ft. 7 5-Bin. The present record-holder, Georgo Horiue, and Beeson must bo jumping in great style this year. A fortnight previous to this meeting the pair tied at 6ft. 4 , 5-Bin., which, as our late visitors would havo 6aid, is "somo jump!" ' What Think We? '• So Mr. Unm.ack on the closing scenes of a noteworthy occasion in the annals of Australasian athletics. "Mercury" ventures to say that his remarks will bo read with interest here in New Zealand, as showing, for one tiling, that the personal attention to himself of tho council was well thought of, and moro importantly that the tour was- looked upon as an event in "the States," and also that, whilo we out here, bid fair to benefit by the visit, the members of the team, too, have aIEO benefitted by by their experiences. It is to be hoped that in future we will be able to keeptrack of the doings of the quartet, as there is littlo doubt that by tho timo the next Olympic Games came' along some of them, Parkor particularly, will be in line for selection ns members of the American team. Wellington Harriers. "Mercury" has to acknowledge receipt of. the syllabus of the Wellington Harricrs ; ,lor the first half of the present season.- For tho information' of members of the club, tho following arrangements for this month are appended:— May 9, Miraniar:' Novice Raco. May 16: Thorndon Baths. May . 23: Keiburne. May 30, Island Bay: Combined run. An Infant Phenomenon. Another performance worthy of remark is reported by the- new American correspondent of'the Sydney "Referee," who writes as follows:— "Wonders, say the wise, will .nover cease, and certainly the wise speak true whon boys like High School student Harry Liversedge live upon this earth. Having never had a javelin in his hand before, this remarkable youth picked one up at the Academic Athletic League meeting last Saturday, and broke theAmerican record with it, casting 'the • spear 171 ft. 3}in., thus beating Bruno Broad's record of 169 ft. lOJin.,. which has" 6tood since lie made it at Travers Island, New York, June 14, 1913, by Ift. Sin. Liversedge has absolutely no 'form with the javelin, and uses his strength alone. What will he do when properly trained? Ho stands 6ft. 3in., and is one of tho huskiest boy athletes ill the United States. He will go into strict training, with javelin-throwing, of course, as his specialty. He is a good shot-putter and hammer-thrower, nnd first-class all-round athlete. Later he will be after Swede Eric Lemming's world's recoil, made at Stockholm, of 205 ft. 2in.